U.S. patent application number 11/163998 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-13 for position information sharing system and method using mobile communication system.
Invention is credited to SOON HAK CHO.
Application Number | 20060155461 11/163998 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36654315 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060155461 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHO; SOON HAK |
July 13, 2006 |
POSITION INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING MOBILE
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Abstract
A position information sharing system and method using a mobile
communication system is provided. The system includes: a plurality
of navigation terminals for wirelessly communicating with the
mobile communication system, receiving shared position information
of at least one navigation system through the mobile communication
system, mapping a self position and a position based on the
received position information to map data, and displaying the
mapped positions; and a service providing center for performing
authentication for sharing of position information between the
plurality of navigation terminals, receiving the shared position
information from each of the navigation terminals when the
authentication is made, and transmitting the received position
information to the corresponding navigation terminals.
Inventors: |
CHO; SOON HAK; (Icheon-shi
Kyungki-do, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IPLA P.A.
3580 WILSHIRE BLVD.
17TH FLOOR
LOS ANGELES
CA
90010
US
|
Family ID: |
36654315 |
Appl. No.: |
11/163998 |
Filed: |
November 7, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/408 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/005
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/207 ;
701/210; 701/213 |
International
Class: |
G01C 21/26 20060101
G01C021/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 7, 2005 |
KR |
10-2005-0001453 |
Claims
1. A position information sharing system using a mobile
communication system, the system comprising: a plurality of
navigation terminals for wirelessly communicating with the mobile
communication system, receiving shared position information of at
least one navigation system through the mobile communication
system, mapping a self position and a position based on the
received position information to map data, and displaying the
mapped positions; and a service providing center for performing
authentication for sharing of position information between the
plurality of navigation terminals, receiving the shared position
information from each of the navigation terminals when the
authentication is made, and transmitting the received position
information to the corresponding navigation terminals.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the shared position
information has information on a position and a path on a map of
the corresponding navigation terminal.
3. The system according to claim 2, wherein a predetermined one of
the navigation terminals receives path information from other
navigation terminals, compares self path information with the
received path information, and transmits the self path information
to other navigation terminals to set one unified path when it is
determined as the comparison result to be different.
4. The system according to claim 2, wherein a predetermined one of
the navigation terminals receives path information from other
navigation terminals, compares self path information with the
received path information, selects a path of a navigation terminal
requesting for sharing the position information among the
navigation terminals when it is determined as the comparison result
to be different, and transmits path information to other navigation
terminals to set one unified path.
5. A position information sharing system using a mobile
communication system, the system comprising: a plurality of
navigation terminals for wirelessly communicating with the mobile
communication system, communicating shared position information of
at least one navigation system through the mobile communication
system, mapping a self position and a position based on the
received position information to map data, and displaying the
mapped positions; and a service providing center for performing
authentication for sharing of position information between the
plurality of navigation terminals, and connecting and controlling
the navigation terminals to communicate their shared position
information when the authentication is made.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the shared position
information has information on a position and a path on a map of
the corresponding navigation terminal.
7. The system according to claim 6, wherein a predetermined one of
the navigation terminals receives path information from other
navigation terminals, compares self path information with the
received path information, and transmits the self path information
to other navigation terminals to set one unified path when it is
determined as the comparison result to be different.
8. The system according to claim 6, wherein a predetermined one of
the navigation terminals receives path information from other
navigation terminals, compares self path information with the
received path information, selects a path of a navigation terminal
requesting for sharing the position information among the
navigation terminals when it is determined as the comparison result
to be different, and transmits path information to other navigation
terminals to set one unified path.
9. A navigation terminal of a position information sharing system
using a mobile communication system, the terminal having a
displaying unit and communicating shared position information
having position information and path information between a
plurality of navigation terminals, using the mobile communication
system, the terminal comprising: a wireless communicating unit for
communicating the shared position information; a GPS (global
positioning system) receiver for receiving a GPS satellite signal;
a map database for storing map data; a position information
processor for receiving the GPS satellite signals under a
predetermined control to calculate a self position, separating and
analyzing the position information and the path information from at
least one of the received shared position information, and mapping
the self position and a position based on the received position
information to the map data; and a controller for controlling the
position information processor to receive and display the mapped
data on the displaying unit.
10. A position information sharing method using a mobile
communication system, the system having at least two navigation
terminals for communicating shared position information and a
service providing center for controlling authentication between the
navigation terminals, the method comprising the steps of: in a
predetermined first one of the navigation terminals, transmitting a
position information sharing message that has a self inherent
number and inherent numbers of second navigation terminals other
than the first navigation terminal, to the service providing center
through the mobile communication system; in the service providing
center, receiving the position information sharing message,
detecting the inherent numbers of the second navigation terminals,
and transmitting the position information sharing message to the
second navigation terminals having the inherent numbers; in each of
the second navigation terminals, receiving the position information
sharing message, and when a user gives permission to share the
position information, transmitting a response message responsive to
the permission, to the service providing center; and in the service
providing center, upon reception of the response message,
controlling and connecting the first navigation terminal and the
second navigation terminals to transmit the shared position
information between the first navigation terminal and the second
navigation terminals.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a navigation system, and
more particularly, to a position information sharing system and
method using a mobile communication system, in which the position
information can be shared by a plurality of navigation terminals,
using the mobile communication system, so that one navigation
terminal can display positions of other navigation terminals
together.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In recent years, a user using a navigation system installed
at a vehicle and performing road guidance using a global
positioning system (GPS) is rapidly increased in number.
[0005] The navigation system includes 24 GPS satellites; a GPS
receiver for receiving a position signal and/or an absolute time
signal from each of at least three ones of the GPS satellites; and
a navigation terminal having map data on a road, a building, a
mountain, and a river all over the country, and calculating a self
position from the received GPS signals, mapping the calculated self
position to the map data, and displaying the mapped data.
[0006] The navigation system receives an intermediate point and a
destination from the user, selects a running path from a current
position to the destination according to a path selecting method,
maps the path to the map data, displays the mapped data, and guides
a running direction of the navigation terminal to the destination
on the basis of the path. As the path selecting method, there are a
shortest path selecting method, an expressway-centered selecting
method, and a national expressway selecting method.
[0007] In general, the navigation terminal of the navigation system
is installed at a vehicle, and performs road guidance to allow the
user to drive a car and arrive at the destination with speed and
comfort.
[0008] As described above, the conventional navigation system has
an advantage of convenience in that it can display the self
position on the map and perform the road guidance to the
destination even though the user, that is, a driver is not aware of
a way to the destination.
[0009] However, the conventional navigation system displays only
the self position on the map and therefore, may cause the following
drawbacks.
[0010] The first is that since several persons ride and move on
cars where the navigation terminals are not installed or only some
of which has the navigation terminals installed, a driver of a
preceding vehicle should pay attention so as to prevent a following
vehicle from missing the preceding vehicle while driving to the
destination. Further, there is a drawback in that a driver of the
following vehicle drives unreasonably so as not to miss the
preceding vehicle and therefore, ignores traffic lights.
[0011] The second is as follows. In case where the navigation
systems are installed at all the cars, the destination should be
inputted and the path should be set to each of the navigation
terminals installed at the cars. However, there is a drawback in
that, due to a different path selected by each vehicle at the time
of setting the path, a time taken to arrive at the destination is
different and it cannot be detected whether other vehicles are
running in any area on the path to the destination and therefore,
it is difficult for the drivers to do collective actions while the
cars are running.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a position
information sharing system and method using a mobile communication
system that substantially overcomes one or more of the limitations
and disadvantages of the conventional art.
[0013] One object of the present invention is to provide a position
information sharing system and method using a mobile communication
system, in which the position information can be shared between a
plurality of navigation terminals, using the mobile communication
system, so that one navigation terminal can display positions of
other navigation terminals together.
[0014] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the
invention will be set forth in part in the description which
follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary
skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be
learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other
advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the
structure particularly pointed out in the written description and
claims as well as the appended drawings.
[0015] To achieve the above and other objects and advantages, and
in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and
broadly described herein, there is provided a position information
sharing system using a mobile communication system, the system
including: a plurality of navigation terminals for wirelessly
communicating with the mobile communication system, receiving
shared position information of at least one navigation system
through the mobile communication system, mapping a self position
and a position based on the received position information to map
data, and displaying the mapped positions; and a service providing
center for performing authentication for sharing of position
information between the plurality of navigation terminals,
receiving the shared position information from each of the
navigation terminals when the authentication is made, and
transmitting the received position information to the corresponding
navigation terminals.
[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a position information sharing system using a mobile
communication system, the system including: a plurality of
navigation terminals for wirelessly communicating with the mobile
communication system, communicating shared position information of
at least one navigation system through the mobile communication
system, mapping a self position and a position based on the
received position information to map data, and displaying the
mapped positions; and a service providing center for performing
authentication for sharing of position information between the
plurality of navigation terminals, and connecting and controlling
the navigation terminals to communicate their shared position
information when the authentication is made.
[0017] In a further another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a navigation terminal of a position information sharing
system using a mobile communication system, the terminal having a
displaying unit and communicating shared position information
having position information and path information between a
plurality of navigation terminals, using the mobile communication
system, the terminal including: a wireless communicating unit for
communicating the shared position information; a GPS (global
positioning system) receiver for receiving a GPS satellite signal;
a map database for storing map data; a position information
processor for receiving the GPS satellite signals under a
predetermined control to calculate a self position, separating and
analyzing the position information and the path information from at
least one of the received shared position information, and mapping
the self position and a position based on the received position
information to the map data; and a controller for controlling the
position information processor to receive and display the mapped
data on the displaying unit.
[0018] In a yet another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a position information sharing method using a mobile
communication system, the system having at least two navigation
terminals for communicating shared position information and a
service providing center for controlling authentication between the
navigation terminals, the method including the steps of: in a
predetermined first one of the navigation terminals, transmitting a
position information sharing message that has a self inherent
number and inherent numbers of second navigation terminals other
than the first navigation terminal, to the service providing center
through the mobile communication system; in the service providing
center, receiving the position information sharing message,
detecting the inherent numbers of the second navigation terminals,
and transmitting the position information sharing message to the
second navigation terminals having the inherent numbers; in each of
the second navigation terminals, receiving the position information
sharing message, and when a user gives permission to share the
position information, transmitting a response message responsive to
the permission, to the service providing center; and in the service
providing center, upon reception of the response message,
controlling and connecting the first navigation terminal and the
second navigation terminals to transmit the shared position
information between the first navigation terminal and the second
navigation terminals.
[0019] It is to be understood that both the foregoing summary and
the following detailed description of the present invention are
merely exemplary and intended for explanatory purposes only.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are included to aid in
understanding the invention and are incorporated into and
constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a construction of a position information
sharing system using a mobile communication system according to the
present invention;
[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a construction of a navigation terminal
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a process diagram illustrating a method for
sharing position information between two navigation terminals
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a process diagram illustrating a method for
sharing position information between two navigation terminals
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of sharing
position information in a navigation terminal according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying
positions of a plurality of navigation terminals in a navigation
terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of displaying positions of a
plurality of navigation terminals, depending on shared position
information, on a displaying unit of a navigation terminal
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the
same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to
refer to the same or like parts.
[0029] In the present invention, position information is shared
between a plurality of navigation terminals connected and mutually
communicating with a mobile communication system, thereby
displaying not only a self position but also positions of the
plurality of navigation terminals on one map. As the navigation
terminal connected with the mobile communication system and
receiving a GPS signal from a GPS satellite and detecting and
displaying the self position, there are a telematics terminal, a
cellular phone having a navigation function, and a personal digital
assistant (PDA) connected with the mobile communication system and
having the navigation function. A detailed description based on the
telematics terminal will be made with reference to the attached
drawings below.
[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates a construction of a position information
sharing system using the mobile communication system according to
the present invention.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, a reference numeral 10 denotes the
telematics terminal, a reference numeral 30 denotes the mobile
communication system, and a reference numeral 70 denotes collection
of the navigation terminals connectable with the mobile
communication system 30. FIG. 1 distinguishes and illustrates the
telematics terminal 10 and the navigation terminal 70 in order to
distinguish a navigation terminal requesting to share the position
information from a navigation terminal responding to the request
for sharing the position information. Accordingly, the navigation
terminal 70 is used as a term including all the PDA 71, the
telematics terminal 72, and the cellular phone 73.
[0032] The inventive position information sharing system includes
the mobile communication system 30, a service providing center 50,
and the navigation terminals 10 and 70.
[0033] The mobile communication system 30 includes a plurality of
base stations 31 and 33, a base station controller 35 for
controlling the base stations, and a mobile switching center 37, to
wirelessly communicate voice and data between the navigation
terminals 10 and 70.
[0034] The service providing center 50 provides various additional
services, and controls a service authentication and an
inter-terminal authentication when providing the additional
services. In the present invention, when the telematics terminal 10
requests for sharing the position information, the service
providing center 50 transmits the position information to the
navigation terminals 70 desiring the sharing of the position
information, and controls only the desiring navigation terminal 70
to share the position information.
[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates a construction of the navigation terminal
70 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, a controller 11 controls a general
operation of the navigation terminal 70 and in particular, controls
an operation of sharing the position information with other
navigation terminals according to the present invention. A storage
unit 12 is comprised of a region for storing a control program
controlling the navigation terminal; a region for temporarily
storing data that is generated when the control program is
executed; and a region for storing user data that is generated by a
user. The storage unit 12 stores its own inherent number. The
inherent number can be identical with that of the cellular phone,
and can be also an electronic serial number (ESN). An input unit 13
generates a command depending on a user's request, and outputs the
generated command to the controller 11. The input unit 13 can be
also a key input unit, a touch pad and/or a voice recognition
module.
[0037] A GPS receiver 1 7 receives the GPS signals from the GPS
satellites. A map database 21 stores map data including information
on a position, a name, and a parcel number of a mountain, a river,
a road, and a building. The position information processor 18
receives the GPS signals from the GPS receiver 17, calculates the
self position from the received GPS signals, maps the calculated
self position to the map data, that is, to the position on the map,
and outputs the mapped data to the controller 11. The position
information processor 18 receives from the controller 11 the
position information received from at least one of other navigation
terminals, maps the self position together with the position
information of other navigation terminals, and outputs the mapped
position information to the controller 11.
[0038] A displaying unit 24 receives the map data to which the self
position and/or the positions of other navigation terminals are
mapped and displays the received map data in a graphic format,
under the control of the controller 11.
[0039] A wireless communication unit 23 connects with the mobile
communication system 30 of FIG. 1 and communicates with other
navigation terminals through an antenna (ANT).
[0040] A timer 25 operates under the control of the controller 11,
and counts and provides a variety of times necessary for an
operation of the navigation terminal, to the controller 11.
[0041] A power source unit 26 receives a predetermined external
power source, and converts the received power source into a power
source necessary for each constituent component. In case where the
navigation terminal is the telematics terminal, the external power
source is a power source of a car battery having a voltage of 12V
or 24V.
[0042] FIG. 3 is a process diagram illustrating a method for
sharing the position information between two navigation terminals
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0043] A procedure of sharing the position information between two
navigation terminals (Hereinafter, the telematics terminal 10 is
called a first navigation terminal, and the other navigation
terminal 70 is called a second navigation terminal) will be
described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
[0044] In Step 301, the first navigation terminal 10 determines
whether or not receiving a position information sharing command by
the user and an inherent number of a counter party's navigation
terminal (that is, the second navigation terminal 70) from the
input unit 13 of FIG. 2. If it is determined in the Step 301 to
receive the position information sharing command and the inherent
number of the second navigation terminal, the first navigation
terminal 10 connects to the service providing center in Step 303.
Upon connection with the service providing center 50, the first
navigation terminal 10 generates and transmits the message of
requesting for sharing the position information to the service
providing center 50 in Step 305. The sharing request message
includes the own inherent number, the inherent number of the second
navigation terminal, and position information sharing request data
representing that the sharing request message is to request the
sharing of the position information.
[0045] Upon reception of the position information sharing request
data, in Step 307, the service providing center 50 analyzes the
sharing request message, searches for the corresponding second
navigation terminal 70 using the inherent number of the second
navigation terminal, and transmits the sharing request message to
the searched second navigation terminal 70. Upon reception of the
sharing request message from the first navigation terminal 10, in
Step 309, the service providing center 50 can also determine
whether or not the user is a subscriber, and transmit the sharing
request message to the second navigation terminal 70 only when the
user is determined to be the subscriber. In this case, the user
should previously register the inherent number of his/her own
navigation terminal 10 and user information to the service
providing center 50.
[0046] Upon reception of the sharing request message from the
service providing center 50, the second navigation center 70
informs the user of there existing a request for the sharing of the
position information from the first navigation terminal 10. After
that, if the user selects permission or rejection for the sharing
of the position information, the second navigation terminal 70
transmits a response message including permission information or
rejection information to the service providing center 50 in Step
311. The service providing center 50 receives and analyzes the
response message. If it is analyzed to reject the sharing of the
position information, the service providing center 50 transmits a
message of rejecting the sharing of the position information to the
first navigation terminal 10 in Step 312. If it is analyzed to
permit the sharing of the position information, the service
providing center 50 transmits a message of permitting the sharing
of the position information in Step 313. After that, in Step 315,
the service providing center 50 connects the first navigation
terminal 10 with the second navigation terminal 70 so that they can
communicate the shared position information through the mobile
communication system 30.
[0047] Upon direct connection of the first and second navigation
terminals 10 and 70 in the Step 315, the first and second
navigation terminals 10 and 70 mutually communicate each of their
own shared position information in Step 317.
[0048] Also, only the first navigation terminal 10 or the second
navigation terminal 70 can just only transmit or receive the shared
position information. In an exemplary description, the navigation
terminal of the preceding vehicle does not display a position of
the following vehicle, and the navigation terminal of the following
vehicle displays its own position together with all positions of
the preceding vehicles. This can be usefully used for chasing a
criminal vehicle, a cash transit vehicle, or the like. For this,
the position information sharing request message should include
information representing the sharing of the position information,
and except for a specific circumstance, that is, except for a
specific case of chasing the criminal vehicle or the cash transit
vehicle, it is desirable that the position information is shared
only under the permission of the navigation terminal that displays
only the self position.
[0049] A case where three navigation terminals are provided will be
described with reference to FIG. 4 below.
[0050] FIG. 4 is a process diagram illustrating a method for
sharing the position information between at least three navigation
terminals according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0051] Steps 401 to 407 of FIG. 4 are the same as the Steps 301 to
307 of FIG. 3. However, in FIG. 3, the sharing request message is
transmitted only to one second navigation terminal 70, but in FIG.
4, the sharing request message is transmitted to second and third
navigation terminals 70-1 and 70-2 in Steps 409 and 411,
respectively. Accordingly, the sharing request message received
from the first navigation terminal 10 should have inherent numbers
of all the second and third navigation terminals 70-1 and 70-2. If
so, the service providing center 50 can transmit the sharing
request message to the second and third navigation terminals 70-1
and 70-2.
[0052] In FIG. 3, if there is a mutual permission, that is, a
mutual authentication between the first and second navigation
terminals 10 and 70, the shared position information is
communicated between the navigation terminals 10 and 70. However,
in FIG. 4, three navigation terminals are provided and therefore,
the shared position information received from each of the
navigation terminals should be switched. Therefore, the shared
position information is not communicated between the navigation
terminals but is communicated between the navigation terminals
through the service providing center 50. In other words, if the
service providing center 50 receives the response message of
permitting the sharing of the position information from each of the
navigation terminals 10, 70-1, and 70-2, it collects the shared
position information from each of the navigation terminals 10,
70-1, and 70-2, and transmits all shared position information
excluding its own shared position information to the corresponding
navigation terminals 10, 70-1, and 70-2. For example, assuming that
the first, second, and third navigation terminals 10, 70-1 and 70-2
have first, second, and third shared position information
respectively, the service providing center 50 receives the first,
second and third shared position information from the first, second
and third navigation terminals 10, 70-1 and 70-2, respectively, and
transmits the second and third shared position information to the
first navigation terminal 10, and transmits the first and third
shared position information to the second navigation terminal 70-1,
and transmits the first and second shared position information to
the third navigation terminal 70-2.
[0053] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of sharing the
position information in the navigation terminal that requests for
the sharing of the position information according to an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 5, first, in Step 501, the controller 11
determines whether or not receiving the position information
sharing command by the user, from the input unit 13. Upon reception
of the position information sharing command from the input unit 13,
in Step 503, the controller 11 displays a message of requesting to
input the inherent number of the navigation terminal, which is to
share the position information, on a displaying unit 24. After
that, in Step 505, the controller 11 determines whether or not
receiving the inherent number from the input unit 13 in response to
the request to input the inherent number. If the inherent number is
determined to be inputted in the Step 505, the controller 11 stores
the inherent number in Step 507, and displays a message of
selecting addition or non-addition of the navigation terminal on
the displaying unit 24 in order to inquire of the user as to
whether or not further adding the navigation terminal that is to
share the position information in Step 509, and determines whether
or not selecting the addition of the navigation terminal in Step
511. If it is determined to select the addition of the navigation
terminal, the controller 11 returns to the Step 503 and repeatedly
performs the Steps 503 to 511 until there is not generated the
addition of the navigation terminal in the Step 511. The inherent
numbers inputted through the Steps 503 to 511 are sequentially
stored in the storage unit 12. The added navigation terminals are
not limited in number but are preferably determined in
consideration of a transfer rate of network data.
[0055] After that, in Step 513, the controller 11 generates and
transmits the position information sharing request message that
includes its own inherent number, at least one inherent number
inputted in the Steps 503 to 511, and the position information
sharing request data representing that the sharing request message
is to request the sharing of the position information, to the
mobile communication system 30 through the wireless communication
unit 23 and the antenna (ANT).
[0056] After transmitting the position information sharing request
message, in Step 515, the controller 11 determines whether or not
receiving the response message responsive to the sharing request
message. Upon reception of the response message in the Step 515,
the controller 11 determines whether the response message is a
message of permitting or rejecting the sharing of the position
information in Step 517. If it is determined to be the message of
permitting the sharing of the position information, in Step 519,
the controller 11 controls the position information processor 18 to
detect a position and transmit the shared position information
including detected position information, to the mobile
communication system 30 through the wireless communication unit 23
and the antenna (ANT). However, if the response message is
determined to be the message of rejecting the sharing of the
position information through the Step 517, in Step 521, the
controller 11 displays the message of rejecting the sharing of the
position information on the displaying unit 24, and informs that
the request for the sharing of the position information is
rejected.
[0057] The shared position information includes not only the
detected self position information but also path information set by
the user.
[0058] At the same time of beginning to transmit the shared
position information, the controller 11 receives the shared
position information from the navigation terminals that request for
the sharing of the position information through the wireless
communication unit 23. A procedure of receiving and processing the
shared position information will be described with reference to
FIG. 6 below.
[0059] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying
the positions of the plurality of navigation terminals in the
navigation terminal according to an embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 7 illustrates an example of displaying the
positions of the plurality of navigation terminals, depending on
the shared position information, on the displaying unit of the
navigation terminal according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0060] Referring to the drawings, in Step 601, the controller 11
determines whether or not receiving the shared position information
from other navigation terminals. Upon receiving of the shared
position information through the wireless communication unit 23 in
the Step 601, the controller 11 extracts the position information
and the path information of each navigation terminal, and stores
the extracted information in the storage unit 12 in Step 603. After
that, the controller 11 reads and analyzes the stored position
information in Step 605, and determines whether or not the position
of the position information is within a map currently displayed on
the displaying unit 24 in Step 607. This can be different depending
on a scale of the map currently displayed on the displaying unit
24. If it is determined that all navigation terminals are
positioned within the map currently displayed in the Step 607, Step
608 is performed. If the navigation terminal is determined in
position to be out of the map, Step 609 is performed.
[0061] In the Step 608, the controller 11 maps the position
information to the map and displays the mapped position information
on the displaying unit 24. In the Step 609, the controller 11
displays a message of requesting to select a map reduction. After
displaying the message of requesting to select the map reduction,
the controller 11 determines whether or not the map reduction is
selected in Step 611. When it is determined to select the map
reduction, Step 613 is performed, and when it is determined not to
select the map reduction, Step 615 is performed.
[0062] In the Step 613, the controller 11 reduces the map in scale,
maps the position information, and displays the mapped position
information on the displaying unit 24. In the map reduction, the
controller 11 can reduce the map on a predetermined scale basis, or
can reduce the map at one time in scale so that the navigation
terminal being out of the map can be displayed in position on the
displaying unit 24. On the contrary, in the Step 615, the
controller 11 performs mapping only for the navigation terminals
being within the currently displayed map, and displays the mapped
result on the displaying unit 24. Though not illustrated in the
drawings, as shown by a dotted line 705 of FIG. 7, the out-of-range
navigation terminal can be also displayed in position by drawing
the dotted line 705 from the self position of the navigation
terminal 701 to a position of the out-of-range navigation terminal
so that the user can recognize whether the out-of-range navigation
terminal is in any direction. Further, a distance to the
out-of-range navigation terminal can be also displayed in the
dotted line 705.
[0063] FIG. 7 illustrates a case where the position information is
shared between three navigation terminals, and illustrates the
navigation terminal 701 showing the self position, the navigation
terminal 703 being within the displayed map, and the dotted line
705 showing only a direction of the out-of-range navigation
terminal.
[0064] After the Step 613 or 615, the controller 11 analyzes the
stored path information of each navigation terminal in Step 616,
and determines whether or not the path information are identical in
Step 617. In other words, the controller 11 determines whether or
not paths of three navigation terminals each set by the users are
identical. If it is determined to be identical as the determination
result, the controller 11 displays the map to which the path
information is mapped, on the displaying unit 24 in Step 619.
[0065] However, if the selected paths of the navigation terminals
are different, the controller 11 displays the map to which other
all path information are mapped, on the displaying unit 24, and
displays a message of requesting to select any one of the plurality
of displayed paths on the displaying unit 24 in Step 621. After
that, the controller 11 determines whether or not selecting one
path in Step 623. If it is determined to select one path in the
Step 623, the controller 11 maps and displays the selected path on
the map in the Step 619. The path selected by the navigation
terminal requesting for the sharing of the position information can
be set as aforementioned. Further, upon transmitting of the shared
position information, the selected path is transmitted to other
navigation terminals, including the path information and
information representing that the path information is information
on the selected path. The other navigation terminals receive and
confirm the information representing that the path information is
the information on the selected path, and set paths as the paths of
the path information. Further, the path can be set even through
voting, and the voting result is transmitted to all navigation
terminals. The path of the navigation terminal obtaining the number
of many votes can be also selected and set.
[0066] As described above, the present invention has an advantage
in that, when the users ride and move on a plurality of cars to the
same destination, the positions of other cars as well as that of
his/her own car can be displayed so that the users can recognize
whether or not other vehicles are running at any region on the path
to the destination, and can do collective actions even when riding
and moving on the plurality of cars.
[0067] Further, the present invention has an advantage in that the
times taken to arrive at the destination are prevented from being
different due to that the vehicles select the different paths
respectively when setting the paths.
[0068] Furthermore, the present invention has an advantage in that
owing to its application to searching for a theft vehicle and
tracking a criminal vehicle, the theft vehicle can be quickly
searched, and a running path of the criminal vehicle can be
previously recognized, thereby being helpful for a quick
arrest.
[0069] While the present invention has been described with
reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to
those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made
therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the appended claims and their
equivalents.
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